Sial. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sharply criticized the joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States by inspecting his most advanced warship Cho Hyeon. He called the exercise “hostile” and announced that the expansion of nuclear power would be carried out even faster.

About 21,000 Us and 18,000 South Korean troops are participating in the 11-day exercise called ‘Ulchi Freedom Shield’. The exercise includes everything from computer-simulated combat planning to field training. North Korea has described it as a preparation for an attack.

Kim described cho hyeon, a 5,000-ton destroyer, as the mainstay of North Korea’s naval nuclear power. The warship is equipped with various anti-air, anti-naval weapons, ballistic and nuclear-capable systems such as cruise missiles. Preparations are being made to bring it into active duty from next year.

North Korea said it was also working on the construction of the second and third destroyers this year. However, external experts have expressed doubts about its full potential due to problems in some shipbuilding processes.

Kim described the drills as “more provocative than ever” and warned of active and heavy retaliation. He said that the security environment is getting serious day by day and for this, rapid changes in military principles and practices are needed.

South Korea’s new President Lee Jae-myung, however, stressed the need for dialogue and restoration of trust and said he wanted to revive the 2018 inter-Korean military agreement. However, the future dialogue is still uncertain as the North has announced that it will not abide by the agreement.